Several years back, Tucsonans lost the Triple-A Sidewinders to the lovely city of Reno, Nev.

However, due to several stadium kerfuffles in Portland, Ore., and Escondido, Calif., baseball-loving Tucsonans got a reprieve, in the form of the Triple-A Tucson Padres, who opened up shop last year at Kino Stadium.

And how did Tucson and the Padres do, attendance-wise? Terribly: Last year, the Padres were dead-last in Pacific Coast League attendance, averaging only 3,410 fans per game. The second-worst team in the 16-team PCL, attendance-wise—the Las Vegas 51s—averaged a thousand fans more per game than the Padres.

But that was year one, and the Padres were a last-minute thing, etc. So this year, attendance should be better. Right?

As of now, the Padres are averaging a horrendous 2,691 fans per game, again dead-last in the PCL by a huge margin.

Folks: If you give a rats' patootie about baseball in this town, make a point to go to at least one game on the Padres' next homestand. Mark your calendars: The Padres will be in town for a four-game series against the aforementioned 51s next Tuesday, May 29, through Friday, June 1.

Go. Support the Padres!